1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a button feeding device, and more particularly to a button feeding device in the form of an independent attachment for a button attaching machine for providing proper alignment of buttons transferred from a magazine.
2. Description of Related Art
A button feeding device is disclosed in Federal Republic of Germany Pat. No. 10 55 335, equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 2,921,544 in which a button is taken from a conventional magazine, is slid into the filling jaws of an alignment station and is turned momentarily by a lowerable driver disk, which carries out turning movements of about 180.degree., until the holes in the button are received by the pins of a pin holder. The pin holder is fastened on the end of a connecting rod which is part of a flat, four-pivot crank mechanism. In this way, the pin holder passes over a path of movement having the shape of approximately a quarter circle which terminates in an approximately linear section only at the end of said movement.
This known button feeding device has the following disadvantages:
1. Since the pin holder is movable only in the horizontal plane, the button clamp must be lifted briefly after the pin holder has transferred the button into the button clamp. Without this lifting movement, which delays the course of the operation, it is not possible to withdraw the button from the pin holder.
2. The driver disk, which carries out rotary oscillations, cannot be shifted towards the center of rotation of its drive.
3. The pivot points of the crank mechanism which moves the pin holder are subject to wear, particularly upon continuous use, and tend to become noisy.
In another button feeding device, disclosed in German Democratic Republic Pat. No. 34 682, a button, after being removed from a magazine, drops into an alignment station formed by a momentarily lowerable pot and is turned by a plate which carries out a rotary movement until the pins of the pin holder which is arranged above the button engage in the holes in the button. The pin holder is guided on a parabolic path by a four-pivot slider-crank mechanism. This device has the same disadvantages with respect to susceptibility to wear and noise that were noted above. Furthermore, it is not possible with the device of German Democratic Republic Pat. No. 34 682 to displace the plate from the center of rotation of its drive.